1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass run for attachment to an inner periphery of a door frame of a motor vehicle for guiding a door glass as it is raised and lowered.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a glass run 10 is attached to an inner periphery of a door frame 12 of a vehicle door 14 for guiding a door glass 16 which is raised and lowered. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1, and shows a conventional sealing structure around the door frame 12.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, conventionally, the glass run 10 is fitted in a channel 40 formed in the door frame 12 to guide the door glass 16 upwardly and downwardly, and provide a seal between the door glass 16 and the door frame 12. The glass run 10 is formed by connecting extruded straight parts 18 providing a concaved part in an inside wall of the channel 40 at a corner thereof, with a molded corner part 20.
A door weather strip 22 is attached to an outer periphery of the door frame 12, and an opening trim weather strip 24 is attached to a flange provided in a door opening portion of a vehicle body, thereby sealing between the vehicle door 14 and the vehicle body.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the glass run 10 includes an outside wall 26, an inside wall 28 and a bottom wall 30, and has a generally U-shaped cross-section. An outside seal lip 32 extends from an open end of the outside wall 26 towards an interior of the glass run 10, and an inside seal lip 34 extends from an open end of the inside wall 28 towards the interior of the glass run 10. And an outside cover lip 36 extends from the open end of the outside wall 26 towards the bottom wall 30 along the outer surface of the outside wall 26, whereas an inside cover lip 38 extends from the open end of the inside wall 28 towards the bottom wall 30 along the outer surface of the inside wall 28 (Publication of unexamined patent application No. Hei4-260814 and Japanese patent No. 2607972, ex.).
The outside wall 26, the inside wall 28 and the bottom wall 30 are inserted in the channel 40 so as to contact inner surfaces thereof. An outer panel 42 of the door frame 12 and one side end of the channel 40 are inserted between the outside wall 26 and the outside cover lip 36, whereas an inner panel 44 of the door frame 12 and the other side end of the channel 40 are inserted between the inside wall 28 and the inside cover lip 38, thereby holding the glass run 10 in position.
A protrusion 46 is formed at a corner of the bottom wall 30 of the glass run 10 for preventing the slippage of the glass run 10 with the door glass 16. To attach the glass run 10 to a corner of the door frame 12, the bottom wall 30 of the glass run 10 is fitted in the corner of the door frame 12 to insert the protrusion 46 in an aperture provided at the corner of the door frame 12 for positioning the glass run 10.
Alternatively, the glass run may be attached to the corner of the door frame 12 by providing a concaved part in an inside wall of the channel 40 at a corner thereof, providing a convexed part in the corner part 20 of the glass run 10 at a joint between the inside wall 28 and the inside cover lip 38, and fitting the convexed part of the glass run 10 in the concaved part of the channel 40 (Publication of unexamined patent application No. Sho 59-89249, ex.).
In the former case, the protrusion 46 must be inserted in the aperture provided in the channel 40 only by touch or feeling so that the aperture is required to have a greater diameter than that of the protrusion 46. Consequently, after attaching the glass run 10 to the channel 40, the aperture is not completely closed with the protrusion 46 and a space remains unclosed therewith.
When the door glass 16 is elevated while sliding between the outside seal lip 32 and the inside seal lip 34, an upper end of the door glass 16 enters the interior of the glass run 10 and contacts the bottom wall 30 thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the door frame 12 extends obliquely and upwardly from a front end to a rear end thereof, and the glass run 10 is attached to the door frame 12 thus arranged in an obliquely upwardly inclining state. Accordingly, when the door glass 16 is elevated and the upper end thereof enters the interior of the glass run 10, the glass run 10 is pulled obliquely upwardly. Consequently, the glass run 10 slips obliquely upwardly, because the space remains unclosed in the aperture provided at the corner of the door frame 12.
A door mirror (not shown) is mounted on a front part of the vehicle door 14. In the front part of the vehicle door 14, a front part of an upper frame and an upper end of a short front vertical frame of the door frame 12 are joined at an obtuse angle to each other. And a joint between the upper frame and the front vertical frame of the door frame 12 is covered with the outside cover lip 36 and the inside cover lip 38 of the glass run 10.
When the door glass 16 is elevated, and the glass run 10 is pulled obliquely upwardly, these lips 36 and 38 also slip obliquely upwardly so that they may come out of the joint between the upper frame and the front vertical frame of the door frame 12.
In particular, when the outside cover lip 36 comes out of the joint between the upper frame and the front vertical frame of the door frame 12, rainwater and noise may intrude into a vehicle compartment by way of a gap between the door frame 12 and the glass run 10, and the joint of the door frame 12 is exposed to degrade the appearance around the joint of the door frame 12.
In the case of a door glass fixedly secured to the door, the door glass is held with a weather strip and is secured to the door frame, and a space between the door glass and the door frame is covered with a cover lip. In this case, in a corner part of the door, a gap may be formed between the door frame, etc. and the weather strip, and to cover this gap, a bulging part may be provided in the cover lip of the weather strip (Publication of unexamined patent application No. 2000-203270, ex.).
The weather strip for the fixed door glass, however, differs from the glass run in configuration and mounting method on the door frame. The weather strip for the fixed door glass, which is secured to the door frame, does not slip relative to the door frame.